


A scared bunny

by Mary_the_gardener



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: 2018 Skate Canada International, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Matchmaking, SecretSantaFS, alternating POV because I'm a mess, friends helping friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21852304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_the_gardener/pseuds/Mary_the_gardener
Summary: SkateCanada is Zhenya's first important competition since moving to Canada, and not everything goes as she would have wanted it to. But at the end of the day, there's something good that surprises her anyway.With an extra dash of Shason because I felt like it.
Relationships: Jason Brown/Shoma Uno, Wakaba Higuchi/Evgenia Medvedeva
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: Secret Santa's Kiss & Cry 2019





	A scared bunny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Junliet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junliet/gifts).



> I don't remember how many practices there where at Skate Canada last years, or who was in which group, I hope you don't mind me taking some liberties to make things fit my plot. Major facts like the actual competition and the people who where there are left unchanged.

It's the second official practice and Zhenya feels that something just isn't right. Maybe it's the sound, or maybe it's the lights. Or maybe it's just her, she thinks. She just can't get around these Canadian ways, the russian in her too different, too strong. She almost wishes her first assignment had been somewhere else, Skate America would have been better, she muses while taking a few warm up lapses.

Then she notices Tracy signalling at her from the corner of her eyes and she dutifully makes her way to the boards, "You're somewhere else." Tracy states, taking Zhenya's gloved hands into hers, "I don't know where, but I want you here with us, right Brian?" Brian nods from where he's standing next to her, smiling at Zhenya his warmest smile, then cracks up a little: "We're here for you, so it's only fair to us that you be here too, isn't it?" It may seem like he's scolding her, but he's not: he's just giving her a reason, a different one, something that's not about her. "Yes." Zhenya nods, and Tracy smiles, satisfied, "Good, now go and show me a proper warm up!" She says patting her hands gently.

And Zhenya does just that, she takes up a little speed and starts going through the stroking exercises Tracy makes them do every time at the club, focusing on her edges and on the people around her, now minding that she's got to be aware of every one of them. Little Daria passes her - well, not so little anymore - and Zhenya smiles at her, because she knows it is Daria's first senior competition and she's probably very tense. She also sends out another tentative smile when a certain Japanese strokes near, but it seems it doesn't really reach her. Well, Zhenya doesn't really mind: there will be time to catch up after the competition, there's other things they all have to think about.

She goes through her steps, and then the combination jumps for the short, all good, Brian is nodding at her from the boards, the spins come easily enough too. She's been working hard, and she will trust in her training, like Brian taught her to do. She feels it: she's got it.

Except, it turns out she doesn't.

~~~

"She kinda worries me" Blurts out Jason, putting his wrap back on his plate in what looks like a solid intention of not finishing if for a while.

Shoma looks up at him from the pieces of meat he's been playing around with in his plate, "Who?" he asks dumbly.  
  
"Zhenya, duh" States Jason flatly.  
  
Shoma eyes him and then eats one of his meat pieces, humming in satisfaction before concentrating again on the boy sitting in front of him, "Well I don't know, maybe you meant some of your USA team-mates." he teases.  
  
Jason smiles at him, appreciating that he's trying to lighten his mood a little. He doesn't know how the boy learned to read him so well, but when they are together Shoma never fails. It gives him a warm sense of security, having someone like that. "I don't know, she is struggling a lot, just like me, adapting to the different ways of Brian and Tracy and at the same time trying not to throw away the whole season." He distractedly pokes at the abandoned wrap in his plate, "And usually we are pretty much on the same wave, even if I know she as a lot more pressure than me on her shoulders, what with her titles and all. But lately she..."  
  
"She?" Presses gently Shoma.  
  
"Well, you know, I told you how we bonded straight away, right?" Shoma hums in confirmation, even if Jason suspects the sound has probably been provoked by the food he is tasting, at least partly. Whatever, he keeps going: "And even before her test skates or ACI she was not like this. She sorts of closed me off now?" It sounds more like a question, he realizes, but honestly, he is not really sure of how to describe it, "I know this is the first important competition we are doing... But I didn't expect her to become like this. I'm not her rival, she should know she can rely on me." He concludes, looking up at Shoma expectantly.  
  
Shoma has his lips pressed tight, an expression Jason as learned means that he is thinking hard. "Maybe I know how to help her. Do you trust me?" He says eventually.  
  
"Of course I do!" Answers back Jason instantly; he has no idea of how Shoma can help Zhenya, they are not even friends, but of course he is going to trust his boyfriend. He quickly reaches out across the table to discreetly squeezes Shoma's hand. It's the most daring they can be in a place like that, surrounded by other people, but even if it's just a small gesture he knows it will convey everything he can't say out loud right now.

  
  
The next day, Jason has the confirmation that his trust wasn't misplaced, because his friend puts herself together and beautifully wins the free skate.  
  
"So, what did you do?" He asks Shoma later on, when they are cuddling on the bed in the younger's room.  
  
"Nothing." Answers Shoma brazenly, "Well, nothing effective yet" he concludes, one of his bratty smirks painted on his face. Jason can't help but kiss it away.

"What are you into exactly?" He can't help but ask after pulling out of the kiss. But Shoma just shrugs mysteriously, refusing to talk. Which is not acceptable. Not acceptable at all. Jason can only resort to one thing: he sneaks his hand under Shoma's long-sleeved shirt and starts a tickles attack. Shoma initially gasps in surprise and then tries to swat him away, but Jason is on a mission now: "Tell. Me." He demands, moving on top of his boyfriend to block his legs with his own body.

Shoma gives in after a bit, surrendering with the little air that's left in his lungs. Jason eyes him suspiciously as he catches his breath, until Shoma finally confesses: "I may have said something... To a certain someone." he looks to the side, avoiding Jason's unimpressed look.

"Do you really want me to attack you again this badly?" He tries, poking Shoma's belly lightly.

"It's just that... I don't like to meddle." Confesses Shoma, "But I thought that a little push could help them."

"Help who?" Asks Jason confused, flopping on his back next to Shoma.

"Well, if you cared to ever visit Japan during the show season maybe you would know." He retorts crossing his arms over his chest and looking the other way, playing offended.

"Hey, come on!" Jason says hugging him, "You know I miss you too. And I would love to do all those shows with you." he nuzzles at the curve between Shoma's neck and shoulder, then sighs, "But they just wanted me touring in the States, and I can't really fight with my federation, they already hate me enough."

Shoma finally turns to face him "I know, you're right," he concedes, opening his arms and returning the hug. "but this won't change the fact that I miss you."

Jason pecks him on the lips lightly before going back to the original topic of their conversation: "So, will you tell me who now? I guess it's Zhenya and...?"  
"And Wakaba. They're so so obviouuus" Finally confesses Shoma rolling his eyes, "As in they were constantly glued to each other, holding hands and all" He explains, intertwining his fingers with Jason's in an explanatory manner. "But Kaori told me Waka is convinced that she sees her only as a friend. Which is so dumb" He looks almost exasperated, Jason thinks, and he finds it so very cute, the fact that Shoma pretends to be annoyed by his girl friends antics while he actually really cares for them and is even going out of his way to help them. "It's clear as daylight that Evgenia is head over heels in love for her! Uuugh!" He concludes grumpily.

"So, what did you do exactly?" Ask Jason, trying to finally get the information out of his boyfriend.

"Oh, I just told her that if she could for once stop being a little scared bunny and finally say what she thinks, Evgenia would have the happiest of weekends, no matter how today's competition was going to end." He recounters nonchalantly.

Jason blinks at him for a second, then starts laughing "I love how natural you are. You're so blunt! It never stops amazing me!" He confesses, hugging Shoma closer.

~~~

  
  
Wakaba isn't really happy with how things ended, to say it shortly, but as she goes back to her room, she can't help but rethink about Shoma's words. She hasn't really allowed herself to dwell on that, the competition requiring all of her concentration. But now that it's all done they are running on replay in her head.

Has she been making up excuses? Probably yes, and Shoma is right. Even if the one that needs this to upturn her weekend is her now, not Zhenya.

Once the lift reaches her floor she steps out, takes one deep breath, and walks in the opposite direction of her room.

She scans the walls, looking for the number she's read on Zhenya's key when they met at the check-in on the first day, and when she finally finds it she stops, her heart beating loudly inside her rib-cage. It's so loud she expects Zhenya to open the door at any moment, alerted by the sound of her heartbeats. It doesn't happen though, and after taking a few deep breaths Wakaba shuts her yes and knocks.  
  
The door clicks, and she opens them back to find a soft Zhenya in front of her. "Hi!" She squeals. _What the heck did she come here to do? Why didn't she think? Make a plan? Something!!_ But Zhenya doesn't give her much time to panic, quickly stepping closer to hug her. Wakaba can't do anything else but wrap her arms around her.

"Come in, I can't keep the door open with my leg forever!" Zhenya says after a while, stepping back and opening one arm in an inviting gesture. And Wakaba obediently walks in, looking around a bit in a room that is just like hers but also so different, little signs of Zhenya everywhere, from her Luna plushie on the bed to the team Russia jacket draped on the back of a chair.

She smiles, warm memories coming back to her, "Remember when we went to practice with each other's jacket?" she says out loud, maintaining her eyes on the seams she is now tracing with her fingers. She can feel her cheeks heat up quickly.  
  
But Zhenya's laugh is so clear, a sound so pure, that Wakaba's gaze shots up without her wanting it to, "Of course I do! I had so much fun at that show with you!" she is saying, the most beautiful expression of joy on her face. She's just wearing a loose shirt over some black leggings, the wide neck of it slipping off her shoulder a bit, and Wakaba's breath just catches in her throat: Zhenya is so pretty smiling like that, her hair tied messily in a low bun and her fringe still a little wet, he eyes squeezed in two crescents.  
  
_Don't be a scared bunny_ had said Shoma, and what a weird choice of words. she thinks for a second, just a passing thought, and when it's gone she takes one step.  
  
Then one more, bringing herself right in front of Zhenya. She lifts her face a bit, and then just presses her lips to that beautiful smile.

It's just a light pressure, and a moment later she's already pulling back, a hopeful smile forming on her own lips as Zhenya blinks a few times, clearly trying to catch up with what just happened. But it's just a second and then Wakaba finds herself with an armful of russian girl hugging her tight.

"I've been waiting for this for so long!" Is what she hears, whispered into her hair, and she just holds her friend tighter, swaying a little to the sides in happiness.


End file.
